Good book for those who already make soap but need some new ideas/recipes. Not good for those wanting to learn step by step how to make their first soap.

I've never made soap but it interests me so that's why I got this book. The content was a little advanced for my newbie skills but I knew that going into it. Seems like it would be a great resource for someone with more soapmaking knowledge and experience than I have. Overall, enjoyed the book and learned more about soapmaking.

Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This an interesting and advanced take on soap making for the experienced. Some great recipes. Recommended.

Not for a first time soap maker, but if you've made a few batches over the past few years and are looking to explore, this will be a good option for you. The thematic soaps for each month help to give a focus that can be very helpful for exploring new idea. What I really appreciate is that Watson walks us through her process. If you've been in a rut with just one or two regular recipes and are looking to expand your horizons, not only will you find some solid base recipes in each month, but (amazingly) you get an guide to experimentation on each of those months. This is a book that encourages you to not be afraid and to get out there and come up with something new.

Smart Soapmakng Around the Year is not for the beginner starting out in soapmaking. In this book she gives advance techniques and tells what works and what does not work in soapmaking. She goes into what works and what does not work in scents and colors. I would highly recommend you read her first two books Smart Soapmaking and Milk Soapmaking and get fully confident in soapmaking before you become too involved in the techniques in this book. My favorite part of the books was the lovely vintage ads and pictures throughout the book. That was a really nice touch. that I have not seen in her other books.

Thanks to Next River Books and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

This book was awesome!! So many recipes. The author shared what worked for her, what didn't and the why. She explained things very well. She only gave one endorsement throughout the book, so its a product she really believes in. She gave a lot of money saving tips and gave resources, other than her own. Wonderful author.

thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair review. These opinions are my own.

Great book for the more advanced soap maker, it might be confusing for the new soap maker.

With recipes and instructions for making cold process soap with salt, milks, beer, and more, this would be a good addition to any advanced soap maker's library. I especially enjoyed the vintage soap ads, they added a bit of whimsy to this enjoyable book.

Thank you Netgalley and Next River Books for the ARC!

As one who has made many batches of cold process soap, I found this book quite interesting. It is certainly not for the beginning soap maker as the vital instructions are not given.
I laughed at the chapter on chocolate in soapmaking, as I had used cocoa as a coloring in one batch of soap. I discovered exactly what the author describes - the soap had brown lather and the high potential to stain light colored towels and washcloths.
I was confused when the author used a term "CPOP" that I had never encountered in my years of soapmaking. I would think that any abbreviations such as this should be explained at least once in the text.

I’ve made soap quite a few times now and I find this book a great tool for exploring and taking things further. It’s not intended for beginners, though it certainly can be a great read and to indent you to get the basics down before extending your techniques and products.

My favorite part is the history of soap ads. I’m a sucker for anything that explores history and such. A great read and I can’t wait to explore these in more depth throughout the year.

I really enjoyed the pictures in this book as there were a lot of vintage items and old school pictures. I liked seeing the different recipes for soapmaking and it was quite inspiring, but I can't say that this book is good for beginners. I've never made soap before and I know lye is very dangerous. I didn't see anywhere in the book on what not to do and the reasons for that. I usually see it in soap making books, even if it isn't a beginner's guide.